UPDATE: Bank of Canada Hikes Policy Rate by 50 Bps To 1% as Ukraine War Adds Fuel to Inflation, Supply Delays

–BOC Also Decides To Begin Quantitative Tightening, Gradually Trim BalanceSheet–BOC: Russia’s Invasion of Ukraine ‘Causing New Economic Uncertainty’–BOC Repeats: Timing, Pace of Further Rate Hikes Set by Economic Assessment–BOC Governor Macklem: Prepared To Be ‘Forceful’ in Rate Hikes If Needed By Max Sato (MaceNews) – The Bank of Canada on Wednesday jacked up its policy […]

BOJ March Meeting Summary: Watch Underlying Inflation, Japan Needs Easing

By Max Sato (MaceNews) – Bank of Japan board members argued sustainable inflation must come from domestic demand amid moves among firms to pass higher costs onto consumers, with one pointing to downside risks to the inflation outlook from a fallback in global commodities prices later this year, according to the summary of opinions expressed […]

Former Dove Kashkari Now Says Fed Rate Hikes May Have To Get More Aggressive

– Bullard Explains Dissent In Favor of Higher Funds Rate By Steven K. Beckner (MaceNews) – Minneapolis Federal Reserve Bank President Neel Kashkari has built a reputation as one of the more “dovish” Fed policy-makers, but in an essay released Friday, he sounded distinctly less so. Kashkari, not a voting member of the Fed’s interest […]

FOMC Lifts Off from Zero with 25bp Rate Hike; 6 More Projected for 2022

– Powell Says FOMC May Move Faster If Needed To Reduce Inflation – Says Funds Rate Could Go ‘Beyond’ Downwardly Revised ‘Neutral’ Rate – Balance Sheet Reduction Plan Could Be Announced As Soon As May Meeting By Steven K. Beckner (MaceNews) – After holding short-term interest rates near zero for two years to support a […]

FOMC: Qtr Point Hike As Expected; Few Specifics on Future Action

WASHINGTON (MaceNews) – The Federal Open Market Committee Wednesday fulfilled expectations for a quarter-point fed funds rate hike, the first such since 2018, accompanied by a pledged to begin pulling back Treasury and Agency securities holdings “at a coming meeting.” The text follows: Indicators of economic activity and employment have continued to strengthen. Job gains […]